The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, says the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, sacked the only commissioner he nominated into his cabinet.
Oshiomhole, who is the immediate past governor of Edo State, said this during an interview onChannels Television on Saturday.
He said the irony was that Obaseki took the drastic action after a reconciliatory meeting which was attended by some APC stalwarts including Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.
The APC chairman said, “We have no argument over money or appointment… In the meeting we held with four governors, including Governor Bagudu, I asked the governor, how many commissioners I nominated into his cabinet. He agreed that I only nominated one person out of more than 20 commissioners.
“Not many Nigerians will believe that because for me, I was out of government and I have convinced myself that the day I step out of government, that is it. After that first meeting, the governor decided to remove that one commissioner along with seven others.”
Oshiomhole, who has been at loggerheads with his successor, said he was also disturbed that Obaseki decided to abandon some of his projects.
He said, “The governor can never tell you that I have interfered in his choice of projects and so on. The only thing I feel a bit worried about is that some of the projects we started together have been abandoned.
“Let me assure you. This governor is not under threat. It is those who make money from crisis; those I call merchants of confusion, who can tell the governor that he was to be impeached. What will I gain if Godwin does not run a second term?”
Obaseki and Oshiomhole’s feud deepened in June when the former issued a letter of proclamation for the inauguration of the House of Assembly.
The inauguration subsequently took place at night in the absence of lawmakers loyal to Oshiomhole, thereby making it possible for those loyal to Obaseki to emerge as presiding officers of the Assembly.
Also in a statement on Sunday, Oshiomhole said he could not support Frank Okiye as the Speaker of Edo State Assembly because he emerged through illegality.
He said Okiye’s emergence was an insult on the nation’s democracy.
He said, “Okiye is not the Speaker, he is a member-elect. The question I will put to you is: Is it within the discretion of state governor to decide who becomes the Speaker?
“The only option for him is to lobby and if he lobbies and in end he is unable to get everybody to toe his line, he has to concede that these are not his commissioners or special assistants for which he has absolute monopoly to appoint.”
The Punch
Other Articles
